Breaking: 15 soldiers injured in Fort Bragg explosion

Ed MorrisseyPosted at 12:01 pm on September 14, 2017

No definitive word on what caused this explosion at a Special Forces training center, but the initial report from WRAL hints at an accident. A blast at Fort Bragg’s Special Operations Command injured fifteen soldiers, required helicopter evacuation to the hospital:

Authorities said at least 15 soldiers were transported via medical helicopter to Womack Army Medical Center after an explosion on one of the training fields.

The soldiers were all members of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, known as USASOC.

ABC11 has learned the explosion happened when a vehicle rolled over on a remote part of the base.

Special forces do extensive training with live weapons and ammunition, of course, but a rollover and explosion seems like a rare scenario, especially with this many injuries. Hopefully none of them are life-threatening, and the helicopter evac might have been just as a precaution. We’ll keep an eye out for any new developments and add them as updates below the post. In the meantime, we’ll also pray for their full recovery. Bear in mind, too, that initial reports sometimes don’t get the details correct, so stand by for further clarifications if necessary.

Update: A spokesman for the army confirms it was a training accident, according to the AP:

BREAKING: Army spokesman says special operations soldiers injured in explosion during training at North Carolina's Fort Bragg.